Spartan-II Augmentations
The SPARTAN-II augmentations were a series of biological and cybernetic enhancement procedures administered to the candidates of the SPARTAN-II Program. The augmentations were divided into two stages, Primary and Secondary, and ranged from relatively harmless treatments such as endocrine therapy to the highly experimental and dangerous chemical and technological enhancements performed once the candidates entered puberty. As a result of the augmentations, the Spartans were given superhuman abilities, but at a high cost; out of the seventy-five Class I candidates, only thirty-three remained viable post-surgery. Despite the apparent flaws of the procedures and the development of better bioengineering methods such as Project: CHRYSANTHEMUM, they were again utilized to augment the second class of SPARTAN-IIs in 2544, with disastrous results; this regimen of augmentations was thus discontinued. =History= Origins Development =Procedures= After the Spartan candidates were brought to Reach in 2517, they were introduced to a strict regimen of physical training, academics, vitamin-laced meals, and weekly injections. These injections were part of an endocrine therapy process designed to stimulate premature development of secondary sexual characteristics in the children, as the second stage of the augmentation process required that all candidates have entered puberty. As a result, the growth of the Spartans was accelerated, placing them developmentally a year or two ahead of normal children. The vitamins and supplementary chemicals in their meals kept them in peak physical condition, ensuring that the brutal training methods employed by Chief Petty Officer Mendez and the other drill instructors did not cause excess damage. In 2525, when nearly all the candidates had reached the age of fourteen, the second phase of augmentation was initiated. All seventy-five of the now-teenage Spartans reported for mandatory medical treatments and were discreetly transported to the UNSC Atlas, where each trainee was sorted to his or her own private room to prepare for surgery. After disrobing, their heads were shaved and they were sedated; each candidate was then transported from the pre-op wing to an operating room, where a team of surgical specialists proceeded to administer the augmentations. The following procedures were performed on the Spartans: *Carbide ceramic ossification - The application of an advanced ceramic material via grafting onto the subject's bones, rendering them virtually unbreakable. *Muscular enhancement injections - The introduction of a protein complex designed to increase tissue density and reduce lactase recovery time via intramuscular injections. *Catalytic thyroid implant - The implantation of a platinum pellet containing human growth hormone catalyst into the subject's thyroid gland to boost the growth of skeletal and muscle tissues. *Occipital capillary reversal - The reversal of capillary blood flow in the occipital lobe of the brain, increasing the amount of blood provided to the subject's retina, thus producing an increase in visual perception. *Superconducting fabrication of neural dendrites - The replacement of biological nerve transduction with shielded electronic transduction, resulting in a 300% increase in the subject's reflexes and increases in memory, intelligence, and creativity. Aftermath =Short and Long Term Effects= Following augmentations, those Spartans that emerged viable from the surgeries spent months recovering aboard the Atlas, participating in treatments such as microgravity therapy to ease the transition as their bodies adjusted to the alterations. As their brains relearned how to operate their stronger and faster bodies, they experienced a number of unpleasant side effects, including clumsiness, difficulty holding onto things, poor balance, bleeding from the eyes, headaches, and aches in the bones and muscles. Recovery rate varied from subject to subject, many recovering in a matter of weeks while others remained ill for much longer. After recovering fully from the surgeries, the Spartans demonstrated abilities well above and beyond projected outcomes, such as reaction times as low as twenty milliseconds and running speeds exceeding 55 kph. They could lift up to three times their body weight and were able to see in the dark, giving them an edge over conventional troops. As time went on and they adapted further to their enhancements, the Spartans' lethality only increased; the combination of with their augmented physiques amplified that lethality even further. Later in life, those Spartans than survived the Human-Covenant War would encounter a number of side effects caused by the augmentations, most notably extended longevity; the skeletal and muscular enhancements kept them from degenerating as normal humans would, as well as their own superior genes and time spent in cryogenic suspension during space travel. Neural degeneration was also considerably slowed, estimated to be nearly three times slower than that of an unaugmented human in peak health. While the ONI initially projected optimal Spartan lifespan to be 150 Earth years, it would later be extended to 200. In contrast to the benefits, there were also some anomalies. One such anomaly was a set of conditions brought about by excess Human Growth Hormone; this was caused by a malfunction with the catalytic thyroid implant, which triggered the release of more growth hormone than necessary from the pituitary gland. This increase in growth hormone in the body resulted in virtually harmless effects such as increased height and mass throughout adulthood well beyond normal growth cessation, as well as harmful effects such as vital organ enlargement and muscle weakness. Though this condition was only observed in one Spartan-II, ONI researchers estimate that, had the entire SPARTAN-II First Class survived the war, at least 25% would have suffered from it as well. =Gallery= Category:Biological augmentation programs